A teenager has been arrested after allegedly stealing a police badge and impersonating an officer during a robbery in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
According to police, 18-year-old Jorge Beltran of Chelsea is believed to have broken into several cars, including a police officer's, over the weekend in Everett. Police say he stole a badge and a radio from the officer.
A resident of Chelsea reported Sunday evening that someone had approached him on Broadway, showed a police badge and escorted him into the basement of a multifamily home on Shurtleff Street, stealing the victim's phone and money.
A tenant let Beltran and the victim into the rear entrance of the building because the badge was flashed, police say.
"Pretending to be a police officer is strange," said Rubens Mendonca, who lives in the building. "I don't know why they want to do that."
"I feel scared to see those things happening really close to us," said neighborhood resident Guillian Lobo.
"That is absolutely illegal and people could fall for it and do whatever they are asking them to do," said Olvin Claros, who lives in the building next door.
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Surveillance footage in the city showed Beltran and the victim walking together, according to police, who arrested Beltran Monday morning. Authorities recovered the badge, the radio and evidence police believe links Beltran to other car break-ins.
Beltran faces charges of impersonating an officer, kidnapping and robbery.
Anyone with information is asked to call the police department's tip line at 617-466-4880.
